As pointed out by jggimi, OpenBSD 4.8 was tagged in CVS last night. Although the project developers don't typically publicize when tagging occurs, this is actually the most important event in the release cycle as OpenBSD 4.8-release is now defined.

Tagging is required in order to create an image for CD duplication. As stated in Section 1.7 of the FAQ, OpenBSD 4.8 will be made available to the public November 2010. Feature development along with bug fixing will continue at the head of the CVS as 4.8-current.

Those interested can look at any file in the src, ports, or xenocara trees on the project's Webpage & see three different tags (among several others...) -- OPENBSD_4_8_BASE, OPENBSD_4_8, & HEAD.

Now that OpenBSD 4.8 is frozen, the file versions sporting the OPENBSD_4_8_BASE will never change. This identifies OpenBSD 4.8-release.

As development continues, HEAD will follow the newest file version checked into the CVS tree. This is also known as -current.

Changes/fixes (including security fixes) deemed important enough to port back into OpenBSD 4.8 will see the OPENBSD_4_8 tag change to newer file versions. This also identifies the OpenBSD 4.8-stable branch.

Files are changed by the project developers daily, & snapshots of -current downloaded today will be very close to OpenBSD 4.8-release. As more check-ins are made today, the more -current will diverge from the source base for OpenBSD 4.8. Divergence will continue as the developers work to improve & add new features in what will ultimately become OpenBSD 4.9.

I would like to clarify. While frozen for development, there may still be some small changes to the source code for 4.8-release, as it is prepared for packaging the major architectures on CD for manufacture and distribution, and all architectures for eventual online release.

But because of the tagging in CVS, development on what will become 4.9 (-current) can begin, while the Release Engineering is completed.

While frozen for development, there may still be some small changes to the source code for 4.8-release, as it is prepared for packaging the major architectures on CD for manufacture and distribution, and all architectures for eventual online release.

jggimi brings up a good point. Theo made a presentation on the release process at AsiaBSDCon 2009. For those interested,